Ball-bearing cage.



B. EITNER. BALL BEARING GAGE. APPLICATION FILED JULY9, 1909.

Patented Dec.27, 1910.

- To fil/Z lwhom it may concern:

UNiTED sTnTEs PATENT oEEioE.

BERTHOLI) EITNER, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.-

BALL-BEARING CAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 27, 1910,I

Application filed July 9, 1909. Serial No. 506,761.

` lie it known lthat I, Bnn'riionn lli'iNEn, a subnet of the King of Prussia, residing at Berlin, Gernianydiave invented certain new .and 4useful Improvements in Ball-'.learinff Cages, which'the 'following is a specification, reference being had therein ,to the accompanying thawing.

This invention relates .to ball bearings, and has reference more particularly to the spacing cage usually employed between the casing elements of the bearing to maintain the balls in spaced relations; and the invention consists of' a cage or frame for this pur= f pose embodying improved features of construction, having in view lightness and simplicity of' construction, economy in production, and effectiveness in operation.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved cage iemoved from the bearing and showing the balls held therein; Fig; 2 is a top plan View of the saine; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-see tion on the line a, a, of Fig. 2; and Fig. -it is a similar View on the line b, b, of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a View of a modification.

y Referring to the drawings: my improved cage consists of' a body portion of web 1, containing in one ed e a series of curved notches. 2, from the e ges of which notches, flanges 3 extend outwardly in opposite directions. These flanges follow the cur-ved edges of the notches and are curved in crosssection, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3, and inthis manner conjointly form u. curved seat for the balls, both transversely and longitudinall Thevflanges 3, 3 are continued upwardly beyond the web or ody portion' of the cage, forming fingers 3, which may be bent down on the balls from the opposite sides of each recess, so as to confine the balls therein, `I prefer in the formation of a cage possessing these characteristics, to construct the same of a sheet-metal strip folded on itself to present two thick- 'latter edge a series of deep and shallow notches are cut, forming between them ro- ]ecting ortions constituting eontinuatlons of the ec ges of the deep notches. The edges of the deep notches are bent outwardly and havin foi-ni the flanges 3, 3, which when bent downwardly on the balls, as described, form pairs of confining fingers at the sides of the balls. From this construction it will be seen that the seats vfor the balls are formed conjointly by the. flanges on the two sections of the folded body portion, andr that the extended portions of' these flanges form fingers which confine the balls in their seats.

It will be observed that by reason of the formation of the cage from a strip, it presents little thickness in cross-section, which adapts it to be readily bent into general circular form for assemblage in the bearing. At the same time,' by reason of the formation of the ball holding sockets by bending the edges of the strip outwardly, the balls are given extended and etf'ective support by the cage without producing undue or injurious -friction.

IVhile in the accompanying drawings I have represented my improved cage in the form I prefer to adopt., I desire to be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific form or arrangement of parts, except in so tar as such limitations are specified in the claims.

As shown in Fig. 5 the laterally extending flanges do not project above the edge of the body or strip as they do in the constructions previously described, but terminate at said edge, and after the balls are seated the ends of the flanges are bent down to confine them.

4Having thus described my invention, its construction and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

l. A spacing cage for ball bearings comprising al flat bo y ortion or web provided in its edge wit open notches, and flanges projecting outwardly' from the e ges of said notches laterally beyond the faces of the web and constituting conjointl ball-holding sockets.

2. spacing cage for ball bearings comprising a body portion in the Ylorniof a flat strip having open notches at intervals in its edge, fingers at the ends of thenotches extending beyond the edge of the strip, and flanges projecting outwardly from the sides of' the notches and laterally beyond the `aces of the web, the said fingers being adapted to be bent downwardly on the balls to @Online strips respectively, and laterally beyond the l0 the same, and the flanges serving as seats for faces of the plztes and constituting con the balls. jointly ball holding sockets.

3. A spacing cage for ball bearings eon- In testimony whereof I have affixed yiny sisting of a. folded body portion presenting signature in presence of two Witnesses. two strips or plates disposed face to face BERTHOLD EITNER. and provided at intervals in their edges with Witnesses: open notches, and having flanges extending HENRY HASPER, outwardly from the notched edges ot' said-i VVOLDEMAR HAUIIT. 

